While the writing and pacing of this book were great, I did find that it was a bit too cliche and overly-sweet. To be fair, I am not a father and therefore not the target audience, but as a parent I was hoping to be able to relate more. Regardless, it is well written and has good humor.

I loved this story of a father seeking connection with his pre-teen daughter. The lessons he learned as a parent throughout his time at Dad Camp with her were so heartwarming and true to life: give her space when she needs space, give her guidance and acceptance when she feels lost and alone, support her in her endeavors to be the person she wants to be, not the person you want her to be. I also found the connections between the Dad-attendees so heartwarming and loved that they all illustrated different types of fathers.

Dad Camp had a quick pace, just enough emotion to make it meaningful, and was a beautiful portrayal of fatherhood; especially to young women. This was such a lovely read for Father's Day weekend! Will definitely recommend.

This a 3.5 star read for me. The storytelling overall was good and I was immediately drawn into the premise of a plot about a dad wanting to take his daughter to camp to strengthen their bond. I haven't seen very many books written by male authors for a male audience so I was anxious to read the story. I found the main character, the father, to be endearing at first even if the early decisions he made were self-serving I could empathize but the deeper into the story, I found his behavior and actions more off-putting than anything else. I appreciated the variation of the other fathers depicted ad actually found myself far more interested in their story--even with their flaws--than in the MMC. I believe the main audience for this book is probably other fathers based on the type of jokes and some of the language used in the story. Overall, I really wanted to love this story but struggled to like the MMC even by the end when his character transformation left me wanting more than just a sudden moment of clarity.

John needs to fix his relationship with his daughter, Avery They were thick as thieves and then just like that they weren’t. He surprises Avery with a week at Dad Camp during the last week of the summer. Avery is not happy about it, but John will do everything in his power to make her like him again


OMG’! This book made my heart so happy. As a daughter with a dad it was healing but also made me think of my future children and the relationships they might have with my husband. It just felt super good. I genuinely truly couldn’t get enough

Thank you Evan Porter, Nicole from Dutton for reaching out and NetGalley for the arc of this book

I received an Advanced Reader copy from Netgalley. John and his daughter go to Dad camp for a week. Bonding experiences with other Dads and daughters are meant to bring everyone closer. The camp bans the use of technology, including cell phones and computers. The camp is in financial trouble. Each father learns about himself and a deeper look at their relationships with their daughters. The Adventure Box is a cool idea. I would have added the penny to the box. Interesting concept since most camps are for boys or girls, not parents and kids.

Dad Camp is a standalone family dynamics novel by Evan S. Porter. Released 11th June 2024 by Penguin Random House on their Dutton imprint, it's 368 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.

This is a fun and worthwhile story. It's warmly written with well rendered main characters and an engaging story. Some of the secondary characters are a bit two dimensional and pasted in, but overall the story and dialogue flow well, and there are numerous moments of gentle unforced humor.

Definitely a book for any parent who has ever looked at their kid, a human they almost certainly love beyond all reason, and wonder where the sulky eye-rolling gremlin standing before them suddenly came from. Nearly all the preteen family dynamics books lately have been from the mom's point of view, and it's refreshing and nice to see dads getting some bandwidth.

Four stars. This would make an excellent buddy read or book club selection, as well as a good choice for public library acquisition.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review//thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for sending me a copy of Dad Camp!!

Dad Camp is a sweet heartfelt story of a dad navigating the preteen years with his daughter. In a moment of desperation, our main character books a week at a camp dedicated to dads and daughters. Dad Camp talks about what it means to be a man, a husband, and ultimately a good father.

Dad Camp was a sweet story of a dad who wanted to connect with his daughter. I also enjoyed the side story of the other dads at the camp and understanding why they were there. I found this book to be enjoyable, but there were some things that I found a little annoying.

Our main character just didn’t seem to understand what he was doing wrong and assumed he was doing everything right. I also felt bad for his wife because it seemed like he put being a parent first over being a husband. His whole identity is being a dad. I did appreciate the character development towards the end as he realized he was holding his daughter back, but it felt like it took awhile to get there.

Overall, I would recommend this book if you’re wanting a sweet, summer camp read but don’t go in with super high expectations.

Dad Camp by Evan S Porter is a coming of age novel about a forty-ish dad who is dealing with his formerly doting pre-teen daughter. She is suddenly yearning for independence. In an attempt to rekindle their relationship, he takes them to a dad/daughter camp, reminiscent of those of his youth, where he meets other dads with other problems. He does not relate to them immediately but relationships grow and his relationship with his daughter reignites, not as it was before, but in something new and wonderful.

There were plenty of interesting characters: dads, daughters, and staff and lesson were learned by all. It was an amusing book, also a poignant one, as the protagonist’s problems rear their heads in all dad/child relationships. The key, as the book showed, was to adjust expectations and go with the flow. Lessons learned. This was on Ok book that could have been better. Not sure how, but I feel it in my bones.

I was invited to read Dad Camp by Penguin Group Dutton. All thoughts and opinions are mine.
#Netgalley #PenguinGroupDutton #EvanSPorter #DadCamp

This is a good book that could have been great. John is trying to connect with his tween daughter and signs them up for a dad/daughter camp. He thinks the problem is his daughter, and when they arrive and he meets the other dads, he is sure that he is a better dad than the other guys.

The author does a commendable job of having different kinds of dads with understandable issues, not all of which are easy fixes. The camp is in abysmal shape, and the camp director is a bit goofy with some surprising depth. The relationships between the dads and daughters are well done. What mars the story is some agenda items and a boatload of profanity.

Overall, I liked the story.

Not family friendly due to profanity.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for this eARC!

This was a very heartwarming read about a father and his relationship with his daughter. With one week left of summer John surprises his daughter Avery with a summer camp for fathers and daughters to help get their relationship back on track. I really enjoyed this + the summer camp vibe.

First off thank you to the publisher for allowing me the e galley of this novel. This is typically not the type of story I would pick up. A bunch of dads at a summer camp with their daughters. Even though this story is not want I normally reach for, did enjoy the summer camp feeling of the story. The father daughter relationship between John and Avery was one that you could see the growth over week they were at camp. Seeing how all the dads in the story learned from each other and how they are all in similar situations with their daughters. It was nice seeing how they all learned more about their daughters. Would I recommend this story? Only if you really like the family aspect and summer camp feel of a story. I personally did enjoy the story but it did take me some time to finish since the story is not one I would reach for.

As a parent of two, there was a lot to connect with with this book. The love and difficulty of being a parent, the bitter sweetness of watching them grow, the never ending exhaustion. I loved seeing the kids bond in the book, and also the dads too. It spoke to how it takes a village to raise a child, but also support a parent as well. As the oldest of three girls who lost my mother at 13 and had to be raised by just my dad, I appreciated this book in a different way as well. I'm sure my dad would love it.
The scene where they're all around the bonfire was pretty funny.
I read this just in time for Father's Day, a perfect read.
I LOVED the note on Good reads from the author, I think it should be published with the story.
As a teacher though - can we retire the phrase "those who can't do, teach", it's so belittling. I teach children how to read, I can assure you that I can ALSO read.
Thank you Netgalley, Evan Porter, and the publisher for this book.

This book was SO sweet! Witty, charming, and so heartwarming. The author's love for his own daughters shined through in his writing. Dad Camp is a great light read with a healthy dose of sappiness. There was also a noted effort to identify stereotypes while also pushing beyond them. Overall, quite endearing, albeit predictable and cheesy.

Thank you to NetGalley & Dutton for the ARC!

This is a heartwarming novel that explores the complexities of father-daughter relationships. The characters feel real, and the story captures the challenges of parenting a moody preteen. A well-written debut that delves into family dynamics and gives you the feeling of a big tight hug!

Thank you NetGalley!

Dad Camp by Evan S. Porter is a moving story. I absolutely enjoyed.
These are some of the most realistic characters ever.
I fell in love with these characters. John and Avery are real characters going through real life stuff and feeling real emotions.
I thought Porter’s writing was very engaging. He wrote these characters perfectly.
And I couldn’t feel every single emotion.
A witty and touching story about the relationship between fathers and daughters.

Thank You NetGalley and Dutton for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This was a really cute father daughter relationship. I was hesitant to accept this ARC, since I don't think I'm completely in the target demographic for it, and even though the ended up being somewhat true, I still enjoyed it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton for the advanced copy of this book!

In an act of desperation, a dad takes his surly 11-year-old daughter to a special camp in an attempt to reconnect with her. As the week progresses, the pair will discover how much they know about each other and what they have left to learn. Author Evan S. Porter shows his ease and comfort level with writing from a dad’s point of view in the mostly funny, always lighthearted book Dad Camp.

For John Collins, his number one girl is his daughter, Avery. John has a loving, supportive relationship with his wife, Evelyn, but he and Avery have been a team since she was born. Lately, though, Avery doesn’t seem to want to hang out with John much.

It’s not because John is an absentee father. In fact, he spends every minute possible with her, coaching her sports teams and being the designated parent at home. Evelyn’s job as a corporate recruiter keeps her busy, and John supports her career. Never mind that the traditional gender roles are swapped in their home; John looks at the biggest bonus, which means he gets to be with Avery.

Yet Avery has stopped talking to John. She doesn’t share things with him anymore, the jokes that used to make her crack up now make her roll her eyes, and sometimes all John has to do is say “hi” and Avery explodes. Evelyn keeps saying it’s because Avery is a tween and that her behavior is normal. All John knows is that his best girl doesn’t want to have anything do with him anymore, and it’s breaking his heart.

That’s why he thinks a special father-daughter camp is exactly what they need. A full week of roasting s’mores, going kayaking, singing goofy camp songs, and just hanging out. John is convinced that the vacation will be a reset and give Avery a new perspective on their relationship—or bring back the old one anyway.

Except the minute they get to camp, everything starts to go wrong. The cabins look nothing like what was promised on the website. The food is just a notch above edible. And the camp counselor actually expects John and the other dads to, well, talk about stuff. John wanted to play Capture the Flag, not try to capture his emotions and put them on display for the whole camp to see.

As John works through the week and his relationship with his daughter, he starts to make some startling discoveries about himself and their duo. The most important one is that the secret he has is probably best not kept a secret. But if he tells Avery, it might destroy their bond for good.

Author Evan S. Porter balances the earnestness of John’s tone with a playfulness and lightheartedness that will appeal to readers. Within a few chapters, any parent will find themselves identifying with John’s conundrum: how do we let kids grow up without letting go of them completely? Porter allows for John’s confusion as a father, and Evelyn’s confidence as a mother, to shine without making it sound cringy or stereotypical.

Curiously, Porter doesn’t share the location of where the Collins family lives or the location of the camp that John and Avery attend. Instead, the author offers just enough details to make the Collins family relatable; the parents who feel slightly uncomfortable in their social circle because of the choices they’ve made as a couple. The child who plays a sport that has become ubiquitous with youth athletes without pinpointing it to one particular city or the other.

The result is a story that allows readers to imprint their own similarities onto it. Porter’s choice may seem like a risky one from a writing standpoint. However, by not focusing on where the book takes place, readers come to it with much fewer preconceived notions.

The plot does start to flounder in the later part of the camp week. After a major announcement by the camp director, the story isn’t quite sure what direction to take and tries to cover its bases by offering several solutions. Still, most readers will finish the novel with the feel-good experience Porter no doubt intended. They may also end it wishing for more stories like these, told from the point of view of a dad who is just trying to relate to his children.

First of all, while I have no real complaints about this book, it is just not really for me content-wise. But I do think it was written well and has a lovely story of the struggles of parenting/fatherhood. If I were a father (or a man?), maybe this would have hit harder?

- I love the idea of showcasing a father's inner struggles with his relationship with his daughter, showing the dynamic between them from many angles and many ages to allow us to get a fuller picture of the family.
- I hate the fact that the whole book is built on a lie that John told just to get Avery to go to this camp with him. Like in what world would that set this up to be a good arrangement?
- The camp vibes are immaculate. I love a good summer camp and this had some very fun, vivid representations of camp activities.
- I loved exploring the different dynamics of all the father-daughter duos at the camp, so we not only get John + Avery, but all of the others and their own struggles.
- Avery was a spunky main character with her own flaws
- This was not as exciting as I thought it could be... Cute, heartwarming, inspiration, sure. But this isn't what I usually like to read.

- I also love that the author has stated that this book came about upon his own self reflection as a father and all the struggles of "manhood" and "fatherhood" that he has encountered or knows that men encounter. Knowing it comes from a personal place does put it into better perspective.

3 out of 5 Stars! Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for this eARC of Dad Camp by Evan S. Porter.

This was a pretty cute book for me but I can see how this may hit a dad who has a daughter. As my own relationship with my dad, I can't say that I could relate. My relationship with my own parents are different and also coming from a different country. I think I would've enjoyed the book if I had a daughter and to see this with my husband but it just didn't hit me enough to cry. This did make me feel almost bad when I think back on how I was in middle school but...what teenager isn't?

If anything, this book does confirm for me that dads need friends, especially those who are in the similar boat with them. My husband and I have kids with special needs and I can tell you that dads are a different breed when it comes to making friends. As a mom who yearn and search for other moms in the same book, that sort of relationship does exist and makes you feel like you're not alone.

Overall, cute story and I'd like to check out the author's future books.

Thank you to the Publisher for my arc!

I really wanted to enjoy this seeing as the premise seemed like something i would like but I was just bored due to the slow moving story and I didn't really enjoy any of the characters.